Stroud and District League Division Seven

Rodborough Old Boys 3rds 4 Bridgeway 4

ALTHOUGH Bridgeway are still unbeaten their run of consecutive wins came to an end against a young and skillfull Rodborough.

The game started in electric fashion with Bridgeway taking the lead within five minutes, Ashley Pearce rose well to meet a good cross from centre back James Stevenson and powered a thundering header past the Rodborough goalkeeper.

However this early set back fired up the hosts, who spent the next 15 minutes camped outside the Bridgeway box, the goal finally came on the 20th minute with a fierce drive that keeper Ben Drewitt got a hand to but couldn’t quite turn round the post.

The game became more back and forth and this point with both teams mainly relying on counter attacks, around the 35 minute mark Rodborough failed to properly clear another high ball into their area with the ball bouncing to Pearce who unleashed a half volley from 20 yards out that gave the keeper no chance.

However once again Bridgeway couldn’t hold onto their lead for long, this time playing the Rodborough forwards onside who between them passed the ball into the net, meaning it was all square at the half.

The second half started the same as the 1st with Pearce completing his hat-trick after a great delivery from Wayne Taylor fell to him to calmly slot past on rushing defenders and keeper.

Pearce’s great game was nearly for nothing as Rodborough again equalised to make it 3-3 before they took the lead for the first time in the game, again through the pace and skill of their attacking players beating any attempt at offside.

Unfortunately for the hosts they couldn’t hold their lead either when with five minutes to go Joel Stoneman crossed a low drive from the right that a Rodborough player deflected into their own net, leaving the result at 4-4.

Squad B.Drewitt, J.Cullimore, J.Stevenson, L.Manuel, D,Ind, W.Taylor, A.Pearce, J.Aldridge, J.Stoneman, A.Smith, M.Bees Subs S.Lane (A.Smith, 75 mins) J.Minett (J.Aldridge, 45 mins) B.Goddard (M.Bees, 45 mins)